Scrapbook paper follow-up...

A few people asked where they could get the Far East paper stack I posted yesterday. I found it all over the internet....just search "Far East Stack".

I did find that Scrapbook.com Superstore has the paper stack plus other coordinating items. You can find them at the links below:

12" x 12" cardstock paper stack

Cardstock embellishments

Self-adhesive ribbon

Chipboard sticker stack

If anyone gets the paper and makes up some pages, I'd love to see them!

Scrapbook paper...

My friend, Jennifer, gave me the prettiest, Asian themed cardstock paper stack for my birthday!

It's the Far East Stack by DCWV and it has 48 sheets of 12" x 12" heavy weight paper.

Here are some of my favorite designs from the stack...







This paper will be perfect for my China travel scrapbook! Thanks, Jennifer!

Random weekend thoughts...

Thank you all for the great organizational tips for my nursery closet. My friend, Stephe, the Queen of Organization, posted some great advice on her blog. You can check that out here.

I also loved this tip from Emily on plastic clothes sizers you can order for the closet rod. You can find them at One Step Ahead, along with a bunch of other cool stuff.


Joe and I stopped into Lowe's today and looked at this ClosetMaid system of shelves and hanging rods. It looks super easy to do and they sell kits that have all the pieces to do multiple configurations. We are going to check out Home Depot and see what they have, but we really liked this system...


So many of you suggested tackle boxes or craft storage boxes for hair clips. We were in IKEA today, so I picked up this plastic storage container that I think will work just fine for the hair clips. Thanks for the idea!


We decided that we would get the closet all organized first, then we would move onto painting the nursery.

We had a great weekend...we started on Saturday at my brother's place for brunch to celebrate my birthday (7/28) and my mom's birthday (which was 7/24). Jim and his family and my mother just got back from a week long trip to Maui and they picked up banana macadamia nut pancake mix and coconut syrup. My sister-in-law, Stephanie, made a wonderful brunch and my nieces made a cake from stratch...their first cake and frosting made all by themselves from a recipe. They did a great job!



My mom brought back a couple of things for Lauren. Check out this cute little shirt and Lauren's name drawn by a Hawaiin artist...very nice. Thanks, mom!



Last night Joe and I had a nice birthday dinner and today we did some IKEA shopping, went to the movies and saw The Simpson Movie (mini-review...save your money and wait for video). Luckily, we had gift certificates that covered both the movie and snacks.

As I was walking through the IKEA garden area among all the beautiful plants, I was feeling bad about my black thumb (I kill all live plants). Then I saw this cute set of three mini cacti and this even cuter little pot set. Finally, maybe it's something I can't kill! Look how nice they look potted. I'll have to do an update in a couple of months so you can see if they are still alive...maybe this will give me an incentive to water once in a awhile.

Lost in a sea of baby clothes...

I decided it's time to get Lauren's clothes organized since I have them stuffed into one side of the closet and thrown into the dresser drawers. If I don't get them organized soon, I'll start buying duplicates of things that I don't realize I already have!

I just picked up these drawer organizers from IKEA. I figured I could use them to keep socks, hair clips, onesies, t-shirts, and pants in folded stacks.


I started to go through everything and realized I'm clueless on how to get it all organized so I can quickly find coordinating pieces. I have a few questions for those who aren't as organizationally challenged as me:

1. Is it best to hang only dresses and fold everything else up in drawers?
2. Do they make kiddie hangers to hang matching tops and pants on one hanger?
3. Is there a good way to store hair clips and hats?
4. What about those headbands that match a specific outfit? Loop them over the hanger with the outfit?

I would appreciate any advice I can get!

What city do you belong in?

I thought it was pretty cool that after answering the survey questions, they say I belong in New York City...my home town. Click the link below and find out what city you belong in.

You Belong in New York City

You're the energetic, ambitious type. And only NYC is fast enough for you. Maybe you'll set yourself up with a killer career Or simply take in all the city has to offer.

What City Do You Belong In?

I know it's not practical...

but I just love this Rosanna tea set for Lauren. I saw it initially on my California trip in a cute little shop and I haven't stopped thinking about how adorable it would look on a little table in the nursery. The colors are so soft and pretty and I love how all the tea cups are a different shape with a different handle like an old fashioned mis-matched set.





So, for those of you with little ones at home, just how impractical is this tea set? Should I look for one that's plastic instead? OK, you can stop laughing at me now! ;)

Waiting, waiting and more waiting...

Today marks 17 months of waiting for Lauren.

I've had this general feeling of yuckiness over the past couple of days, then I realized the date on the calendar and figured it's that darn adoption roller coaster again. It seems when we first got on this ride, it was kind of like a kiddie coaster with only a couple of small ups and downs. As the months go by, the coaster seems to get bigger and bigger with stomach churning hills and upside down loops. Each month I feel like we climb to the top of a big hill and then referrals come out with a measly amount of days matched and then we pass another LIDversary...leaving us at the bottom of the hill starting the monthly climb back to the top for the next plunge.

This afternoon at the office, someone asked why I seemed a little down and not myself and I answered with "this wait is just getting to me lately". They responding with "what wait?" At that point it really hit me how all encompassing this adoption waiting is and how it's become the center of my universe. I can't wait until we are able to just look back on this time and have it feel like just a blip on the radar screen.

Sorry for the whine session, but just had to get it out there. I know my fellow waiting mommas understand.

Joe was busy...

assembling a new piece of furniture for the nursery yesterday. Click here to check it out.

Crowd for dim sum...

Yesterday our local FCC Waiting Families group got together for dim sum. I made up little bags with those yummy peanut butter treats from our local Chinese market.

I love this poem about waiting...


These little treats were especially for the babies...



I love the adorable little smile on Ava's face in this shot...

We had a great turn out which included 11 families (22 adults and 8 kids).

Goodies from CA trip...

It's a lazy and HOT Sunday here in Phx. This is the only day of the week that we get to make a big breakfast and then we sit around reading the paper. I love Sunday mornings, but I know I'd better enjoy them while I can! The second Joe sits down on the couch, Lucy is right there by his side.


I wanted to show off my cute shopping finds from the Carlsbad trip. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't return from a trip empty handed.

Check out this adorable Crocodile Creek ladybug ball. I can just picture Joe and Lauren playing together in the backyard with this.


I also got this world map placemat (from Crocodile Creek too). I thought it would be a great way to talk about China with Lauren over dinner and show her where it is on the map.


The Bass store had these cute flip flops on sale for me and they look great with jean shorts and a red t-shirt.


Baby Gap had a great sale so I picked up a few cute outfits. I couldn't resist...I was under some kind of spell as soon as I walked into the store. I could also blame it on Christine because she kept finding cute outfits. ;)

First day back to work...

after a vacation is NEVER fun! I came back to a big old stack of miscellaneous problems in my in-box. Vacations would be much more fun if you could come back and pick up right were you left off. I know...dream on!

Christine and I had a really nice time in California. We were house and dog sitting for a friend of hers who lives in Encinitas about 5 minutes from the beach. We were there five full days and spent plenty of time lounging at the beach. We also went to Sea World, which is a nice park but I wouldn't go again in the summer...too hot and too little shade. We had Christine's teen-age son and girl friend with us, so I got a glimpse into the world of parenting a teen-ager. All I can say is I wish Lauren could stay little forever! It's sad when they get older and it's no longer cool to be around mom.

Here's a shot of Christine, her son, Colton, and his girlfriend, Alex...


and here's Christine's furbaby, Ruby, who came along with us and sat on my lap when Christine was driving...



I was pretty much detached from Blogville while on vacation, except for the occasional wi-fi signal I would get at the house. It's no fun to come back to the news that referrals are on the way and the word is out that they only got through November 14th. That means they only matched a measly seven days of LID's since last month! Since the last two batches were six days each and the one before that was two days, I think that pretty much cements the idea that it will take them two more months to get through the rest of November. So, it won't be until September that we see families with an early December 2005 LID get their referral and it may not be until November or December until all of December 2005 is matched. At that point, the wait will officially be 2 years! Pretty depressing, huh? When we applied to adopt, I had just turned 41 and I remember thinking that was so much older than I had always hoped for. Now, I'm turning 43 late this month and still have no light at the end of this really long tunnel. It's getting so discouraging. Sorry to be such a downer, but I'm riding the referral roller-coaster and we keep passing the exit with no way off! Ugh...let me off, I'm getting sick!